Jay Bruce has become a trade-rumor fixture for the Reds before July 31, and his work on Monday night probably didn’t hurt his value. Bruce went 2-for-4 and his two-run home run in the sixth inning proved to be the game-winner for the Reds as they claimed a 5-4 victory over the Cubs at Great American Ball Park.
Chicago scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning against Michael Lorenzen, including a two-out, two-run double by Jorge Soler, to take a 4-3 lead for starter Clayton Richard. Following a double play in the sixth, Cubs manager Joe Maddon went to the bullpen and saw his move backfire.
“That falls under the category of the right thing to do, but it didn’t work,” Maddon said. “[Todd] Frazier had two good at-bats. I’m just trying to keep it right there. [Justin] Grimm has been outstanding. He hasn’t been good, he’s been outstanding, so it’s the right spot for him. Even with Bruce, I felt really good about him there.”
Reliever Justin Grimm walked Todd Frazier before he gave up the long ball to right field by Bruce. Despite twisting his left knee fielding a comebacker, Ryan Mattheus pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the victory after the Reds bullpen survived some late threats. Brandon Phillips saved the tying run with a nice defensive play in the seventh. In the eighth, J.J. Hoover had a runner on third base and one out before escaping. And coming off a 44-pitch outing on Sunday, Aroldis Chapman worked a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts for his 19th save.
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